Natural Areas and Unique Sites
Natural Areas
As the second largest City in the State of Michigan, Grand Rapids boasts plenty of natural areas for citizens to enjoy! Some of the area's gemstones include:
Aman Park Trail
A 331-acre site, Aman Park has been preserved as a natural area with hiking and cross-country ski trails. This park has interpretive signs and six self-guided trails ranging from .8 mile to 1.5 mile loops.
Burton Woods
This six-acre site beautifully illustrates the restoration of land from the original agricultural domain of the area. Left to revegetate for the past 80 years, this area has a series of trails under a dense canopy of trees.
Huff Park and Cattail Crossing
The 80-acres encompassing Huff Park feature both an active aspect of the Park, which includes three ball diamonds, and a 30-acre wetland boardwalk trail, which weaves through three distinct biospheres with paved pathways, boardwalks and interpretive signs. The natural habitat features a wide array of wild flowers and wetland inhabitants in the middle of an urban area.
Plaster Creek Trail
Beginning at Ken-O-Sha Park School and following the Plaster Creek, this pathway offers interpretive signs and a stunning display of spring-blooming wild flowers along the creek's bank and wetland areas.
Riverside Park
The Park's 250 acres on the east and west sides of the Grand River offer a refreshing and beautiful natural environment within the City. In addition to active sports, picnicking and special event areas, this Park provides river access for boats, extensive walking paths, and vistas overlooking the river.
Unique Sites of Interest
An array of parks, public spaces and public art is sure to stimulate interest, imagination and inspiration. See for yourself the following unique sites...
Ah-Nab-Awen Park
Once the site of a Native American village, this 6.5-acre park began as a bicentennial project which involved extensive public design input. The name, "Ah-Nab-Awen," was proposed by the Elders of the Three Fires Council and means, "Resting Place." The Park exhibits numerous pieces of art and interpretive markers and is often viewed in the context of the later addition to the site, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Ah-Nab-Awen Park hosts many large community-wide festivals including the July 4th fireworks and Celebration on the Grand.
Calder Plaza
The open, hard-surface plaza adjoining the City and County buildings hosts numerous large community events and "La Grand Vitesse," the Alexander Calder Stabile which symbolizes the City of Grand Rapids.
Fish Ladder Park
This functional piece of artwork, designed by the artist, Joseph Kinnebrew, provides a practical application as well as an aesthetic pleasure. Designed to allow migrating fish a means of circumventing the powerful water flow at the man-made rapids in the Grand River, this popular site allows visitors to watch fish jump up the "ladder" in a seasonal migration in the spring and late summer.
Lookout Park
Tucked away atop the hillside of the Coit neighborhood area, this park affords interesting views to the south of downtown Grand Rapids, west towards Union High and north to Comstock Park. The prominence of the Grand River as it flows through the city is readily apparent from this vantage point.
Rosa Parks Circle
The heart of downtown Grand Rapids features a public art space designed by the world-renowned artist, Maya Lin in 2001.
Riverwalk Parks and Pathways
A comprehensive plan encompasses a downtown Grand River "boardwalk" trail and other watershed trails which will connect local trails to regional and statewide trails. The interconnected parks and pathways along the Grand River offer what will be a continuous loop, on both sides of the Grand River from Fulton Street north to Sixth Street. Walking this route, you will encounter a variety of art in park sites as well as historic interpretive markers explaining significant events in Grand Rapids history. Much of the downtown system is operational and an abandoned railroad bridge has been purchased to connect separate local trail systems and link with regional and statewide trail systems. The final trail systems will connect users to existing trails north to Cadillac (100 miles) and south to Barry County (50 miles).
Robert Morris "EarthworK"
Also known as the "X", this monumental sculpture of earth, asphalt and natural grasses is the first permanent large-scale outdoor work in the world by artist, Robert Morris. This functional piece of artwork allows viewers from Lookout Park to traverse the steep hill down to the ball fields below in Belknap Park.
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